Fergie set to offer £1.5m to fend off Arsenal making their move

Sir Alex Ferguson is set to watch Mario Gotze with interest over the next few months after identifying him as a potential replacement for Paul Scholes.

Reports after the transfer window suggested that Arsenal had offered £35m for the young German, however Borussia Dortmund were understandably very reluctant to accept any offer.

Footybunker.com reports that Manchester United have offered £1.5m to have the first option to buy Gotze but the article gives no details of whether this was accepted or not.

Gotze will undoubtedly draw plenty of attention from Europe’s biggest clubs this year as he prepares to make his Champions League bow with Dortmund. But raises another issue as far as Mr Wenger is concerned.

Dortmund have of course been drawn in Arsenal’s group. If Wenger is serious about wanting to sign Gotze, which a £35m bid certainly indicates, surely he will be, at the very least, having a word in the ear of Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp . It is fair to say Alex Ferguson would not allow that opportunity to pass him by.

Still aged only 19, Gotze has already been capped 8 times by Germany. His international career has started with a bang too having scored a fantastic goal against Brazil and the final goal in the 6-2 demolition. With the European Championships at the end of the year, at which Germany are expected to be Spain’s closest challengers, Gotze’s stock is only going to rise.

If true, Sir Alex’s first option deal could be the most astute bit of business of the transfer window.